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FLASHPOINT! Osama bin-Laden's goons threaten Nigeria and Africa's stability. USAfricaonline.com Special Report
In 15 years: Nigeria could collapse, destabilize entire West Africa - U.S. intelligence analysts claim; Obasanjo calls them "prophets of doom...."

 

Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant and the OJ shadow 

USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston, CLASS magazine
USAfricaonline.com and The Black Business Journal

By Chinedu Nosike 

(Written on June 10, 2005, just before the June 13, 2005 not guilty finding of the jurors who handled the charges against the 'king of pop')

No independent analyst armed with the facts and deliberations of the Michael Jackson case, as broadcast on responsible media, should find him guilty of the charges from Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon of lewd or lascivious contact with a child younger than 14 years old. Yet, I will yield on the point that only Mr. Jackson and his accuser(s) know the absolute truth. There are no experts here but these two parties. The so-called experts are making conjectures, or are, at best, sincere or prejudiced guessers.

Second point is that the accusing family's need and desire for wealth and riches is just as strong if not stronger than any alleged sex drive in Michael Jackson. Third issue is that nearly every prosecution witness has crumbled on cross-examination by Jackson's attorney Thomas A. Mesereau Jr. The prosecution's case is riddled with reasonable doubt.

In light of these facts in the entertainer's favor, how did we travel to this point where the so-called experts, pundits and reporters are telling us matter-of-factly that Michael Jackson is a child molester? He has a history of accusations but no criminal record. In a society where people have been known to kill their own family members for money why is it so difficult to comprehend that the Arvizos may have chosen to sacrifice a Jackson? How come, to so many, reasonable doubt does not seem to matter here? How did we get here? 

The American constitution guarantees the accused a presumption of innocence until proven guilty. From the onset, according to polls, most American whites thought Michael Jackson was guilty while a majority of blacks thought he wasn't. Keep in mind that none of these people had ever been in Jackson's bedroom. I must state at this point that some of Jackson's staunchest defenders happen to be white. But they are in the minority. As soon as Neverland was raided I watched the commentaries on television and read the articles on the Jackson case and observed the constant reference to OJ Simpson. I was then further convinced that Jackson had a major huddle to overcome before he could even talk about presumption of innocence or his freedom for that matter.  

How high is the OJ huddle? 

I could never celebrate the acquittal of OJ Simpson. It was quite embarrassing to me to see so many blacks in public jubilation, considering that he may have actually murdered his ex-wife and her friend. My consolation came in the fact that this wasn't much a celebration for OJ as it was a victory chant over the Mark Fuhrman's of the world whom the black community knew too well. I also took consolation in the fact that this was the press' undoing, as it did not give airtime to those blacks with contrary views.  

Since then, many American whites have been haunted by the image of this rich black man who presumably got away with killing two white people. After the trial I predicted that the next rich, black celebrity who will be caught in the Criminal Justice System would pay dearly for it. And it's NOT going to matter if he's guilty or not. I said this because I sensed venom in white America that will not dry until this defeat is avenged. A few years later Kobe Bryant walked into OJ's shadow. 

A resort employee in Colorado accused Kobe Bryant of rape. As soon as Kobe Bryant was accused every poll showed that most whites thought he was guilty. And again, only this young lady and Bryant were in that room. He had a clean-cut image, handsome, rich, married, superstar athlete and no criminal record and no past accusations plus his accuser could gain financially from this allegation, but it did not matter. I remember Nancy Grace on Larry King Live not only boldly declaring that he raped her but described how he did it. Gloria Allred, Diane Dimond, the whole gang could not wait to see Kobe locked up. He was booed in several arenas across the country. As the facts unraveled to Kobe's advantage the so-called experts stuck to their guns. I wondered how anyone who passed through law school could still think that it was a winnable case for the prosecution? Truth is, it was not about facts, logic or presumption of innocence. It was revenge. The image of OJ's acquittal had to be erased. 

I must add that Kobe's accuser was smart enough to abandon the State's criminal case and filed a civil suit. She eventually reached a financial settlement with Bryant and is likely set for life just as Michael Jackson's accuser will soon be. Kobe was lucky, his accuser made some big mistakes. As Kobe's conviction looked more impossible Mr. Black-Or-White, Michael Jackson walked into OJ's shadow. 

Another great huddle for Michael Jackson is the Media. This huddle, by my estimation, is not unrelated to the OJ shadow. And I say this because the American media is generally owned and controlled by white Americans. There's a strong desire within this demography to convict Jackson and the reporting evidences it. Among others, CNN has sunk to an all-time low. Opinionating has taken the place of reporting. You would see a newscaster and a guest in what is supposed to be an interview. The newscaster carefully lays down his opinions and then bounces them off the guest occasionally. It is not uncommon to see reporters such as Court TV's Diane Dimond tell open face lies as to what actually happened in court. She has even helped the prosecution by supplying them material she hoped could be used as evidence against Jackson. She has also forecasted Michael Jackson's death. I've heard reporters ask Jackson defenders if they would let their children sleep in Jackson's bedroom? I'm yet to hear them ask one person if he would open his home to the Arvizo family.  

There's another reason for the media bias, which is not related to OJ. The American media is first and foremost a business. Propping up Michael Jackson will earn you a few millions but The Destruction of Michael Jackson is a billion dollar industry. Sometimes it's hard to watch the trial coverage without sufficient sense of humor to laugh it off, and I'm not even a Jackson fan. We got to this point where we supposedly know that Michael Jackson is a child molester by the mainstream media pounding its opinion till it is established as fact. We saw its maturity from 'think' to 'know'. Consequentially, a propitious climate has been manufactured for a conviction and it has nothing to do with the facts of the case. 

Judge Melville is another huddle. I cannot sit here and tell you whether he has an agenda or not. He has made a few calls which I find disturbing; among those:

One, eight jurors come from a demography that mostly believes that Jackson molested the boy. Four come from the accuser's community. No blacks. 

Two, the jury should have been sequestered. Human nature tells me there's no way this jury is not watching television. I think the Nancy Graces of the world know this jury is watching, too.  

Three, he has given the prosecution so much armor that a conviction should be reversed on appeal. He even instructed the jury that they should consider things said about Jackson by his sworn enemies including stories that have been sold to tabloids for profit. Like I said, I'm not sure whether he has an agenda or not. But one thing I can say for sure is that if he is not a demon, he is standing between the devil and the deep blue sea. He is an elected official and his constituency says that Michael Jackson is guilty. If Jackson escapes due to any fault of his he will pay. Melville loves Melville more than he loves Jackson. And we have certainly seen it in this trial. 

The last and not the least huddle for Jackson is Michael Jackson. Why? Any man who is not sure whom he is or where he comes from is dangerous to self. 
Nosike, an information technologist, is a contributing writer for USAfricaonline.com and CLASS magazine. This essay was written/published on June 8, 2005, before the Jackson trial verdict.

CLASS: The heritage excellence and style magazine for Africans in north America, described by The New York Times as the magazine for affluent Africans in America. It is published by professional journalists and leading mulitmedia leaders and pioneers.



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USAfricaonline LITERATURE
Why Chinua Achebe, the Eagle on the Iroko, is Africa's writer of the century.
Achebe, scholar, social conscience, cultural historian and globally-acclaimed writer, has been a significant and binding source for an engaging understanding of African pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history and realities. I believe that such insight has made him a favorite of African-Americans, and other scholars and regular folks in search of a better, realistic understanding of Africa, at least, from Achebe's utilization of his rich and dynamic Igbo ancestry, in south eastern Nigeria. I share the same ancestry, and he's one of my mentors.
By Chido Nwangwu. Click here for commentary
Chinua Achebe returns "home" from U.S., to love and adulation of community.
Exclusive USAfricaonline.com tribute: Since 1958, Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" set a standard of artistic excellence, and more. We met in person at the first conference on Commonwealth Literature, organized by Professor An Jeffares at Leeds University in 1964. We met again in Lagos, later, the same year. We met again at the Canadian Association of Commonwealth Literature conference in Toronto in 1973. By Douglas Killam
Chinua Achebe: A Literary Diaspora Toasts One of Its Own. By Somini Sengupta

POLICY
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COMMUNITY INTEREST
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Lott of Racism?
Implications of
Obasanjo's late wake up to the challenges of Sharia in Nigeria. By Ken Okorie
Osama bin-Laden's goons threaten Nigeria and Africa's stability. By Chido Nwangwu
What has Africa to do with September 11 terror? By Chido Nwangwu
Reflections on
September 11. By Jonathan Elendu
And the Rocks Cried Out (For Safiyatu). By Effenus Henderson
DEMOCRACY'S WARRIOR Out of Africa. The cock that crows in the morning belongs to one household but his voice is the property of the neighborhood. -- Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah. An editor carries on his crusade against public corruption and press censorship in his native Nigeria and other African countries. By John Suval.
Pope John Paul, Abacha and Nigeria's Christians
DIPLOMACY
Walter Carrington: An African-American diplomat puts principles above self for Nigeria. USAfricaonline.com Founder Chido Nwangwu with the U.S. former Ambassador Carrington (right) at the U.S. embassy in Lagos during a courtesy visit.

HISTORICAL INSIGHT
Biafra-Nigeria war and history get fresh, critical look from a survivor. By Alverna Johnson and Vivian Okeke.


  'Biafra: History Without Mercy' - a preliminary note. By Chido Nwangwu
ODUMEGWU EMEKA
OJUKWU:"It was simply a choice between Biafra and enslavement! And, here's why we chose Biafra"
Biafra: From Boys to Men. By Dr. M.O. Ene

African Union: Old wine in new skin?
Sharia, Sex and hypocrisy of Gendered Justice. By Chika Unigwe, columnist for USAfricaonline.com
And the Rocks Cried Out (For Safiyatu). By Effenus Henderson
NEWS INVESTIGATION: The Marc Rich Oil Deals in Nigeria


Should Africa debates begin and end at The New York Times and The Washington Post? No
AFRICA AND THE U.S. ELECTIONS Beyond U.S. electoral shenanigans, rewards and dynamics of a democratic republic hold lessons for African politics.
Osama bin-Laden's goons threaten Nigeria and Africa's stability
What has Africa to do with September 11 terror?
Africans reported dead in terrorist attack at WTC
September 11 terror and the ghost of things to come....
Arafat's duplicity, terrorism at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian crises. By Barry Rubin
Will religious conflicts be the time-bomb for Nigeria's latest transition to civilian rule?
Johnnie Cochran will soon learn that defending Abacha's loot is not as simple as his O.J Simpson's case. By Chido Nwangwu
Should Africa debates begin and end at The New York Times and The Washington Post? No
Nelson Mandela, Tribute to the world's political superstar and Lion of Africa 
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's burden mounts with murder charges, trials
Conflicting emotions, feeling of disappointment, timing of revelation that Rev. Jackson fathered a child with former aide lead to charges of "right-wing orchestration."

Nigeria's Presidential Election: Is it just for the Highest Bidder?

Nigeria at 40: punish financial thuggery, build domestic infrastructure
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Africa suffers the scourge of the virus. This life and pain of Kgomotso Mahlangu, a five-month-old AIDS patient (left) in a hospital in the Kalafong township near Pretoria, South Africa, on October 26, 1999, brings a certain, frightening reality to the sweeping and devastating destruction of human beings who form the core of any definition of a country's future, its national security, actual and potential economic development and internal markets.
22 million Africans HIV-infected, ill with AIDS while African leaders ignore disaster-in-waiting

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Why is 4-year old Onyedika carrying a placard against killings in Nigeria?
How Nigeria's Islamic Sharia crises will affect the U.S.
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Rtd. Gen. Babangida trip as emissary for Nigeria's Obasanjo to Sudan raises curiosity, questions about what next in power play?
COUNTERPOINT 'Why is Bill Maher spreading racist nonsense about HIV/AIDS and Africa on ABC?
Hate groups' spin by Lamar Alexander benefits anti-Blacks, anti-Semites, and racists
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JFK Jr.: Death of a Good Son
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Summit on Africa, Congresswoman Jackson-Lee hold policy forum in Houston
'100 Black Men are solutions-oriented' says Thomas Dortch, Jr., Richard Johnson and Nick Clayton II as they share perspectives with USAfrica's founder on the national
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110 minutes with Hakeem Olajuwon
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COMMUNITY INTEREST Why the revisionist forces of racist oppression in South Africa should not be allowed to intimidate Ron and Charlayne Gault.

Index of Founder's Notes (1)

Index of Founder's Notes (2)

Index of other Viewpoints USAfricaonline contributors and columnists on the issues


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Obasanjo was not sworn in merely to
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Obasanjo's 'prayers' and the Abacha path of staying in power. By Nkem Ekeopara
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Nigeria, a terrible beauty. By Chido Nwangwu
Why Nigeria and Africa's leaders are leading us to nowhere. By Professor Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe, contributing editor of USAfricaonline.com, author of the highly-acclaimed African Literature in Defence of History: An Essay on Chinua Achebe and a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics.

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Abati and other
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DEMOCRACY DEBATE
CNN International debate on Nigeria's democracy was livecast on February 19, 2002. It involved Nigeria's Information Minister Prof. Jerry Gana, Prof. Salih Booker and USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido Nwangwu. Transcripts are available on the CNN International site.



Anambra's rigged 2003 elections: Chris Uba's confession at WIC 2004 in Newark, USA. In a matter-of-fact manner, PDP's chieftain in Anambra Chris Uba stood up and astonished all that were present in Newark when he said, "We, the PDP, did not win the election (of 2003). I have gone to church to confess. The election had no document. I called the result before 12 midnight. I gave INEC the money and asked them to call the result." The revelation caused an uproar as well as some applause in the hall. "The person we took his thing is here," Uba said, pointing at Peter Obi (the APGA candidate) who was sitting among the audience, in the back row.

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OIL in NIGERIA: Liquid Gold or Petro-Dollars Curse?
Investigating Marc Rich and his deals with Nigeria's Oil
Through an elaborate network of carrots and sticks and a willing army of Nigeria's soldiers and some civilians, controversial global dealer and billionaire Marc Rich, literally and practically, made deals and steals; yes, laughed his way to the banks from crude oil contracts, unpaid millions in oil royalties and false declarations of quantities of crude lifted and exported from Nigeria for almost 25 years. Worse, he lifted Nigeria's oil and shipped same to then embargoed apartheid regime in South Africa. Read Chido Nwangwu's NEWS INVESTIGATION REPORT for PetroGasWorks.com
MEDIAWATCH
Should Africa debates begin and end at The New York Times and The Washington Post?
Nelson Mandela, Tribute to the world's political superstar and Lion of Africa  
TRIBUTE
Nnamdi Azikiwe: Statesman, Intellectual and Titan of African politics

CONTINENTAL AGENDA

Bush's position on Africa is "ill-advised." The position stated by Republican presidential aspirant and Governor of Texas, George Bush where he said that "Africa will not be an area of priority" in his presidency has been questioned by USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido Nwangwu. He added that Bush's "pre-election position was neither validated by the economic exchanges nor geo-strategic interests of our two continents." These views were stated during an interview CNN's anchor Bernard Shaw and senior analyst Jeff Greenfield had with Mr. Nwangwu on Saturday November 18, 2000 during a special edition of 'Inside Politics 2000.' Nwangwu, adviser to the Mayor of Houston (the 4th largest city in the U.S., and immigrant home to thousands of Africans) argued further that "the issues of the heritage interests of 35 million African-Americans in Africa, the volume and value of oil business between between the U.S and Nigeria and the horrendous AIDS crisis in Africa do not lend any basis for Governor Bush's ill-advised position which removes Africa from fair consideration" were he to be elected president. By Al Johnson
ARTS
The Life and Irreverent times of Afrobeat superstar, FELA

 

 

PANAFRICANIST
Tanzania's founding president Julius Nyerere    

 


Impeachment process shows Nigerian democracy "is alive... being tested." Nigeria's president retired Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the impeachment process shows that "democracy is alive, is being tested, and being tried.... What they (the legislators) have tried to do in the democratic way, which is not easy, would probably have been done by taking arms or by -- with bullets. So, but with democracy, of course, some people feel that this is the way this should be, and then I have an opportunity to defend myself. There is discussion. There is dialogue. There is a decision. There is fairness." He made these comments when he appeared on Tuesday September 17, 2002 on CNN International to discuss the issues of impeachment facing him, the allegations of corruption, abuse of the constitution and deployment of soldiers ina civilian environment which led to the "massacre of civilians" in Odi (Bayelsa) and Zaki Biam (Benue). On the charges by international human rights organizations and Nigerian media that his government has been involved in actions which have led to the deaths of thousands of Nigerians, the retired General gave a surprising answer. He was asked that "as many as 10,000 people, it's being reported, have been killed in Nigeria (in) communal rivalries, and the number is believed to be increasing. And people are saying that although President Obasanjo has done a lot of good for Nigeria, you're accused of not -- accused of failing to halt that spiraling violence."

Obasanjo: "Let me say this to you, when you put the question of 10,000 -- 10,000 people dying in Nigeria, of course, for a population of over 120 million people...." But USAfricaonline.com Founder and recipient of the Journalism Excellence award (1997), Chido Nwangwu, who appeared on the same program as as a CNN International analyst (Africa) pointed out that "when (President Obasanjo) answered that in a country of 100 million that 10,000 people are said to have died, as if that was a small number, that in itself reflects a disconnect with the concerns of Nigerians. The second one is that when the risk is civil disagreement, the police are required to intervene in the country. And the deployment of the armed forces of Nigeria requires at least some consultation, however modest, with the parliament." Nwangwu, former member of the editorial board of Nigeria's Daily Times continued that "the third factor that is equally important to underscore is that the armed forces of Nigeria moved in for a punitive action rather than just containing a civil disagreement." He noted in USAfricaonline.com backgrounder "it was revealing and interesting interesting discussing Nigeria's issues with its leader - under the current circumstances of an increasingly out-of-schedule elections and the gathering storm of an impeachment process by a majority of the members of the National Assembly, predominantly by Obasanjo's party members." See rush transcript of the CNN International news program.


Obasanjo facing corruption and ineptitude impeachment charges, again since the parliament, a few weeks ago, passed a motion carrying a majority of the members of Obasanjo's party, the PDP.
RELIGION AND ETHNIC CONFLICT: Sharia-related killings and carnage in Kaduna reenact deadly prologue to Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967. By Chido Nwangwu
ELECTIONS
Gigolos on the Campaign Trail. By Prof. Walt Brasch
Can Africa live a future without war? An Open Letter to Mandela. By Fubara David-West
Sex, Women and (Hu)Woman Rights. By Chika Unigwe
WILL ARINZE BE THE FIRST POPE of RECENT AFRICAN ORIGIN? To our Brother Cardinal Arinze: May your pastoral lineage endure!

The Democratic Party stood for nothing in 2002 election cycle. By Jonathan Elendu

HEALTHWATCH
EVA champions efforts to combat AIDS among Nigerian youth. By Jessica Rubin
Pros and cons of the
circumcision debate. By Ngozi Ezeji, RN
TRIBUTE
Prof. Chimere Ikoku: Remembering the legacy of a pan-Africanist, scientist and gentleman. By Prof. Chudi Uwazurike
 
Can Africa live a future without war? An Open Letter to Mandela. By Fubara David-West, USAfricaonline.com contributing editor
COUNTERPOINT
Tiger Woods is no Nelson Mandela! By Chido Nwangwu
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It's wrong to stereotype Nigerians as Drug Dealers. By Chido Nwangwu
Nigeria as a Nation of Vulcanizers
Why Colin
Powell brings gravitas, credibility and star power to Bush presidency.
PUBLIC POLICY
Private initiative, free market forces, and more democratization are keys to prosperity in Africa.
The
Civilianizing of African soldiers into Presidents
Maduekwe, Nwachukwu clash over Obasanjo at World Igbo 2002 convention in Houston. USAfrica Special report

DEMOCRACY DEBATE
CNN International debate on Nigeria's democracy livecast on February 19, 2002. It involved Nigeria's Information Minister Prof. Jerry Gana, Prof. Salih Booker and USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido Nwangwu. Transcripts are available on the CNN International site.

Steve Jobs and Apple represent the future of digital living. By Chido Nwangwu
The coup in Cote d'Ivoire and its implications for democracy in Africa. By Chido Nwangwu
(Related commentary) Coup in Cote d'Ivoire has been in the waiting. By Tom Kamara